


King in Your Story

by InsidiousIntent



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alex is hurt, Angst, Boys Being Silly, Happy Ending, I made Michael a lot more responsible than he is, M/M, Malex Secret Santa exchange, but I guess I like projecting, but he loves Michael
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-18 11:54:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21710332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsidiousIntent/pseuds/InsidiousIntent
Summary: “Alex has located an alien artifact that may be the key to reviving Max, but he needs our help.”
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Comments: 36
Kudos: 150
Collections: 12 Days Of Malex 2019





	King in Your Story

**Author's Note:**

  * For [estel_willow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/estel_willow/gifts).



> This is my offering for the Malex Secret Santa Exchange for my loveliest friend [estel_willow](https://archiveofourown.org/users/estel_willow/pseuds/estel_willow) who requested a angst with a happy ending fic. I tried my best to make it angsty Hannah! 
> 
> This is super unbeta'ed but I know Hannah won't mind <3 (A special shout-out to the Junkyard for letting me scream-cry about this to them!)

* * *

“Well this is a shit show,” Isobel said looking around the room. The room itself was quiet, and she only received a few glares in return. 

The subject of the discussion, did not look up or respond to Isobel. Michael sat there with his face in his hands, body curved over his knees. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him, but his mind was going a thousand miles an hour at the moment. He didn’t know how to feel, didn’t know what to say, didn’t want to look up and see Maria’s face. Or Isobel’s. Liz’s face. 

“How long do we have?” he asked, keeping his face down still. 

Jenna Cameron responded. “You have twenty four hours before things go from bad to FUBAR, so you need to be on the road in the next,” she looked at her watch, “ten hours at the latest.” 

Michael got up and walked out, wordless. Stepping out into the semi-chilly Roswell night, he stayed on the patio and looked up, his constant shining beacon of hope - the stars. 

He felt movement by his side, and felt the familiar warmth of his sister. Standing there, looking at the stars, he didn’t need to look at Isobel to know what she was going to say. 

“You know what you need to do, Michael.” 

_____

**_Five days ago_ **

“Alex called,” Valenti declared to the group as the makeshift group of aliens and humans gathered in Max Evans’ house. It wasn’t too hard to gather everyone, since people had been taking turns to watch over Max for almost three weeks by then. Isobel and Michael had managed to revive Max, but he had fallen into a deep sleep and could not be woken. Kyle had explained it as a medical coma due to car crash to Max and Isobel’s parents and the sheriff, but there didn’t seem to be a way to wake him up. 

Until now, Michael guessed. “Alex has located an alien artifact that may be the key to reviving Max, but he needs our help.” He felt Maria’s hand grip his, and held on, squeezing lightly. Alex’s name tended to do that to both Michael and Maria these days. 

Liz, who had been oscillating between grief and anger for the past few weeks, looked up suddenly. “What do you mean?”

Michael watched as Valenti fidgeted where he stood, snuck a look at him, and then looked away quickly. “Alex said the artifacts works to ‘strengthen bonds of intertwined souls’ from what he was able to dig up about it.” 

“Ok so when can he get it to us?” Isobel perked up from her place next to Michael. 

“That’s the issue,” Valenti said. “The artifact is in the hand of some shady investment guy who used to be a part of Project Shepherd. He’s hired a company to auction it off, but it’s surrounded by heavy duty protection - both people and gadget kind.”

Michael was getting impatient. “So what’s the problem?” 

Kyle shrugged. “Alex and his team are going in undercover to steal it tomorrow. Once we have it, we can figure out how to use it to bring Max back.” 

The group had dispersed on a high note for the first time since Max’s death and revival. Michael felt the lightness in his bond with Isobel, his sister was also feeling hopeful. The universe was finally cutting them some slack. 

That hope did not last long. Three days later, Valenti showed up to the cabin looking like he hadn’t slept in days, asking the group to reconvene. 

“The artifact cannot be touched,” Valenti started off, no greetings nothing. Michael had never seen the guy so ruffled. 

“What?” Liz asked, “what do you mean cannot be touched?”

Valenti rubbed a hand down his face, and Michael noticed that he wasn’t even out of his scrubs, and that was definitely blood splatter on the shirt. 

“One of Alex’s team, Forest Zanotta, tried to secure the artefact and set off some sort of chain reaction. The guy is now in a medical coma, and…” Kyle stopped for some reason, but Michael could see it coming a mile away. 

“Alex got hurt didn’t he?” he asked. 

Kyle swallowed. “His prosthesis is busted. He’s now stuck there until we can get him help and or a new leg.” 

“What kind of help can we give Alex?” Isobel asked. Michael wasn’t even going to try. 

_______

**_Now_ **

He rang the doorbell around 6am, well before the light of dawn could show his face to the neighbors. He waits a whole minute before ringing the doorbell again. Only silence greets him. 

Another minute passes before the door opens a crack, and tufts of dark hair and a single glaring eye shows up, before the door opens up fully. 

“What the hell, Guerin?! What are you doing here?” Alex’s voice is gravelly, and he looks like he fell asleep on a stack of crumpled papers, creases lining his left cheek. 

“Lookin super hot there,” Michael quipped. Alex just scowled and slammed the door in his face. 

“What? Alex! Open the door!”

“Go away Guerin, why the hell are you even here?” came the muffled response from behind the door. 

“Valenti caved and shared the whole story - not the sanctioned one you told him to give us. I’m here to make sure you get back in one piece.” 

Silence. 

Michael sighed. “Alex, why are you being so difficult?”

“I don’t need civilian help on this, and I need you to leave now,” Alex’s voice sounded like he was still standing right on the other side of the door. 

“Any second now, one of your neighbors is going to see me stranded here arguing with you through the door.  _ Let. Me. In. _ ” 

A heavy sigh was the only response he got before the door was shoved open, and a hand grabbed his shirt and pulled him in. Alex shut the door just as quickly, throwing the deadbolt and turning around to stare at him. 

Michael had to try hard to keep from wincing when Alex fully came into view. Only the bruises on his face and arms were visible, but Michael knew Alex was also recovering from two bruised ribs, a temporarily dislocated elbow and a single twisted ankle. It was like looking at a Jackson Pollock on a human, and watching Alex slow shuffle to the couch and drop heavily was the single most painful thing Michael had witnessed. 

Valenti had tried to prepare him for Alex’s injuries, but seeing them in person was so much worse. He approached slowly and placed the paper bag he was holding in his left hand. 

“I know you are mad right now, but I brought you tamales made by Liz’s dad. I know they’re your favorite.” 

Alex glared at him but grabbed at the bag, opening it and sniffing the contents with a pleased smile. Michael turned and dropped the duffel he had on his right shoulder, and moved to grab a plate from the kitchen. Even with multiple injuries Alex had managed to keep the place in neat order.

The house was small but tidy, except for the piles of papers everywhere - from the living room to the spare room turned into an office. A short staircase led to an upstairs area that Michael assumed was the bedroom and master bath, which explained why Alex looked like he was living on the couch. At least he had a second full bathroom downstairs for use. The kitchen looked stark - only stocked with bare essentials and clean only by default of emptiness. 

He rounded back to Alex, who now looked a little better, with solid food in his stomach. He was staring down at the papers on the coffee table and refusing to make eye contact. Fine, Michael was going to have to do all the work here. 

“So,” he started, waiting for Alex to look up and talk. 

Alex sighed. “I thought we knew what the artefact did. When I put the team together, I made sure to bring on couples. We managed to infiltrate the party and get close to the artefact,” Alex sighed again and slumped back into the cushions. “Forest took all the precautions, did not let the artefact touch his skin, but it still didn’t work.” 

“I’m sorry he got hurt. Your Forest,” Michael said. 

Alex’s laugh was bitter. “He isn’t mine, and now he’s far away from me where he can be safe.” 

Michael gave him a moment. “So where does that leave us?” 

Alex glared again but looked down at his hands, “the artefact requires the touch of both people in a  _ bond _ . The language we dug up from Project Shepherd archives wasn’t clear on why but it was implied that this thing could keep partners from being injured, or could help the injured partner recover.” A sigh. “I have a couple on the team who can try it out, but I am being benched for the moment.” 

Michael nodded. He knew all this already, and he had created the plan on his way over. “Well guess what, you’re in luck, because I have this whole thing under control.”

____

Angie Carter was a woman in her seventies, but sharp as a tack. Her eyes scanned the living room and landed back on them. Michael hadn’t thought old ladies would have that kind of military type training, but the way she cataloged the room said otherwise. He pushed down his discomfort and picked up a cookie from the plate. 

“So do you live by yourself?” he asked, just to move things along. The woman chuckled. 

“Oh no dear, my wife is out visiting some of her young students. She should be back soon and I hope you’re staying for dinner so you can meet her,” she looked at them. 

Besides him, Alex coughed delicately. “Uh thank you, Mrs. Carter. But Michael just got back and we haven’t seen each other in so long -” he cut off as the woman waved a hand. 

“Say no more, young man. And please, call me Angie. But I want you both over for dinner tomorrow night, no excuses.” 

Michael chuckled, “You got it Angie.” He grabbed a cookie for the road and moved to leave, Alex close behind. 

Angie saw them to the door and stopped them with a hand to Alex’s arm. “Now you boys don’t feel shy if you need anything, alright? You have a lot of work ahead of you to make a new marriage work.” 

Michael could see Alex’s ears burning, a faint look of discomfort at Angie’s words. 

“How’d you guess?” Michael asked dryly. 

Angie’s smile gave a glimpse of how incredibly pretty she must have been as a young woman. “I have been married for over fifty years, my boy. I have traveled this road long and well.” She gave Alex a sidelong look, “plus I didn’t even know you such a handsome young man hidden in that house of yours.”

Alex’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, but only Michael could tell that. “Well  _ someone _ had things they wanted to finish up, so I had to move up here all alone.” 

Michael deserved that passive-aggressive tone, even if Alex’s face was laughing. He reached forward and folded his fingers around Alex, eliciting a jaw clench from him. “I’m home now, though,” he said softly, meaning every word. 

Angie’s smile was soft and understanding. “You boys will be  _ just  _ fine. Now off you go!”

They walked hand in hand from her doorstep to their own, and Michael did everything he could to slow down the walk and enjoy the feeling of Alex’s hand in his own. The neighborhood was quaint but silent in a way Roswell never felt to Michael, despite having beautiful modern houses with large front  _ and  _ backyards. The quiet closed off streets, and the dim street lights bathed the world in a soft orange glow, and Michael took the minutes of silent walking to feel the closeness of Alex, his steady breathing, his sturdy presence next to him, where he belonged. 

The moment they were behind closed doors however, Alex snatched his hand and rounded on him. 

“What the fuck, Guerin? Are you out of your  _ mind _ ?” Alex stage whispered, teeth clenched in fury. “Why would you let Angie think we’re married? Now the whole neighborhood will know this by tomorrow. How am I explain this when you’re gone?” 

“Why am I going somewhere? I told you I’m here to help, Alex,” Michael said. 

“And does helping mean cheating on your girlfriend and pretending like you and I are married? This is low, Guerin,” Alex’s anger wasn’t going away. 

Michael knew this conversation was coming, he just didn’t think it would be here that quickly. But this time he came prepared. 

“I don’t have a girlfriend, Alex, I’m not cheating on anyone. And I told you already that I came here to help. Telling people that we are married is the quickest way to establish our access to that artefact, and you know it.” He took a deep breath. “I’m not trying to be cruel.” 

The response from Alex took a few moments, but they felt like the longest seconds of his life. But it was not the response he was expecting. 

“There are extra linens in the closet by the bathroom. Feel free to make a bed on the couch. Do  _ not  _ come near the bedroom.” Alex turned away, walking quickly to the stairs that led upstairs. With a brand new prosthetic, he could finally go upstairs. As he climbed the stairs, he looked sidelong at Michael, and Michael was almost thrown by the anger he saw in his eyes. 

“You made a choice Guerin, have the courage to stick through the consequences.” 

___

The morning light filtered through the kitchen windows in a way that didn’t hurt the eyes. Michael hadn’t really slept, but he got enough shut-eye that he wouldn’t really fall over. He had finally given up around four, and cleaned the whole kitchen from top to bottom. He was in the middle of slicing bread for toast when Alex finally appeared. 

He had clearly had a good night sleep, from the way he looked refreshed and  _ clean. _ Michael had missed the change in Alex’s look. The haze of Max’s death and Isobel’s anger had wrapped tightly around him like a particularly thick blanket, and he had scarce memories of the time Alex was around, when he met Forest, and left Roswell for this project. 

Michael wasn’t going to apologize for mourning his brother, and caring for his sister. But here in this make believe house, with its make believe domestic front, Michael can give into the temptation of wanting all this to be real. To make a  _ home  _ with Alex, to have a space that is theirs, together. He turned off the stove so the eggs wouldn’t burn and poured coffee while the toast got ready. 

Alex, freshly showered and shaved, looked like a dream in a light henley and jeans. He also looked contrite, greeting Michael with a subdued “ _ morning _ ” and proceeded to guzzle his entire cup of coffee. Only after a second cup was getting ready and Michael had placed a full plate of eggs, toast and bacon at him did he look up. 

“You didn’t have to do all this,” he said. Michael smiled. 

“Of course, I did! Someone’s gotta make sure you are eating right, and who else would do that other than your  _ husband _ ?” he tried to infuse as much sincere cheer into his words as he could, but from the brief wince Alex tried to hide, it didn’t work. 

“Guerin, I wanted to thank you,” Alex started, slow but deliberate. Michael saw him taking a breath and knew he must have been rehearsing this speech for a while. “I wouldn’t be ready for the party tonight if you hadn’t shown up to heal me, and with a new prosthesis.” 

Michael knew what was coming next. “But?”

“But I can’t do this with you. I cannot happily pretend to live a life I’ve wanted, with the one person I’ve wanted it. It isn’t fair. I’m not a toy you can throw away and bring back whenever you feel like.” 

Michael closed his eyes and hung his head. This was a long conversation but he was ready to get started. 

“Alex, I told you I wasn’t doing this to be cruel, and I meant it. I know you don’t believe me right now, and the past few months haven’t set a great track record of what I say vs. what I actually do.” Alex was looking at him now, eyes big and focused on Michael’s face. 

“But I won’t lie and say this is the chance I had been hoping for. Alex I know I made mistakes, and I hurt you and I hurt Maria and I didn’t help myself.” A breath. “I just want a chance for us to move forward, a way for us to move  _ together _ .” 

Alex’s face was impassive, but Michael didn’t miss the sheen of tears in his eyes. 

“I can’t promise anything, but I will try, Michael.” 

Michael felt like a breath he had been holding was released. This was a good sign. “Plus, you need to get up to speed about the party tonight.” 

“Wait, what party?”

___

The party turned out to be the setting for the artefact auction, the entire point of this little operation. Michael had a moment of utter and complete weakness when Alex walked into the living room wearing a wine colored suit, perfectly tailored lines emphasizing his body in a way that Michael had only dreamed of. 

Alex’s reaction at Michael’s own suit was entirely too gratifying to ever forget. Michael silently thanked Isobel’s foresight in having a suit tailored for him. Alex’s slow heated gaze and visible swallow at the sight was Michael standing in the living room will sustain him. 

The extravaganza was something Michael hadn’t seen in all the parties Isobel had put together in Roswell. The building was bright and stately, and the festivities hall was like something out of the movies. Michael walked in with a hand on Alex’s back, and realized the combined wealth in the room could easily wipe homelessness from the entire country. 

Alex stayed stiff as they entered, breathing controlled and face impassive. He took the glass of champagne Michael handed him gently, but downed the first glass without Michael ever seeing him. Alex turned into him a little, speaking softly just for Michael’s ears. Michael couldn’t help but inhale the incredible woodsy smell of his cologne. 

“We need to socialize, understand what is being shared about the artefact.” 

Michael grabbed another glass of champagne from a passerby server and saluted. “After you.”

As they mingled, Michael realized the group gathered there were too rich and too careless to worry about what they were buying. The wealthy just wanted an excuse to spend their money on objects that gave them more money or more power. No one seemed too worried about the requirement of a couple touching the artefact. 

And what did the artefact even do? 

“I think it gives you the power of immortality,” said one rich old man, with a twinkle in his eyes.

“I think it binds souls for all time,” said a young starlet, wearing jewelry more expensive than a small nation’s GDP. 

Michael kept an eye on Alex mingling in the crowd, a smirk on his face and charm in his entire demeanor. Michael saw the way women and quite a few men circled around him, staying in his periphery and trying to get close. 

He circled close to Alex and sauntered close, relishing putting an arm around his waist and watching the numerous faces in the crowd fall. Michael smirked at the old man blatantly giving him a stink eye.

“Oh Ann and I did not take any chances with the whole one half of the whole thing,” a smarmy looking white haired guy said. Michael hated the oily smile on the guy’s face. “We went to Thailand and had a traditional wedding ceremony, threads and all. We are  _ connected _ .” 

___

Alex was shaking a little standing at the balcony, staring up at the night sky. Michael saw him take deep breaths in and out and look up into space. He looked like he was trying to get his shaking hands, shaking himself off and took a step back from the edge of the balcony. And ran straight into Michael. 

“Alex, what the hell? Why did you run out of there?” Michael demanded. 

“Guerin I think...I think that creepy old guy was right. I don’t think we’re ready. We haven’t exchanged any vows. We aren’t even dating! What happens if -” Michael reached out and put his hands on his shoulders. 

“Alex, you seem really worried about this,” he said. 

“Why aren’t  _ you _ ?! What if something goes wrong? What if it burns out our eyes, or or or melts our insides. What if we can’t get this back to Liz and help Max and -”

It felt strange to Michael to see Alex looks so frazzled, it was usually Michael in a state and Alex being a rock of calm. He took a deep breath, and pulled Alex close. They were almost flush together, close enough that Michael could feel Alex’s breath against his cheek, and it felt a little maddening. 

Alex clenched his jaw and looked over Michael’s shoulder into the middle distance, but Michael huffed out a quick breath of annoyance, and tilted Alex’s head to face him. This close, Alex’s eyes were overwhelmingly deep and warm brown. This close, and the smallest movement would tip them into a kiss.

“I’m not worried,” Michael said. “Because if that requirement is real, then you and I have nothing to worry about. You and I have been connected since we were kids, Alex. No force in the universe, not your homophobic asshole of a father, not an entire war, not even intergalactic travel and fifty years of age difference could keep us apart.” 

He grazed Alex’s cheek with his healed left hand. “I already made my vows when we were seventeen, Alex, and I plan on keeping to them for the rest of our lives if you let me.” 

A single tear fell down Alex’s eyes. “Michael…”

He took Michael’s hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing it softly. “For me too, Michael.” 

____

When they approached the artefact, it glowed softly the way the pods did. Michael and Alex approached slowly, circling around to make sure there were no alarms or hidden security keeping the artefact in place. The owner was clearly not worried, since they found nothing. 

“You ready?” Michael asked. Alex’s responding smile was brighter than the artefact. 

Together they placed a hand on it. A voice immediately boomed inside their heads, surrounding their senses.

_ “Rath of Antar and his beloved...welcome.”  _

**Author's Note:**

> Come cry about all things malex with me on [Tumblr](https://insidious-intent.tumblr.com/)


End file.
